Preservation of the Crail Ranch began in the late 1970's as a grassroots effort of a group of women and men from the rapidly growing Big Sky, Montana resort area. Through their efforts, the buildings and grounds of this exemplary Montana homestead were added to the National Register of Historic Places.
To continue the work of this early group, the Historic Crail Ranch Conservators were established in 2006 as a committee of the Big Sky Community Corporation, an IRS 501(c)(3) public benefit corporation. The mission of the Conservators is to promote an awareness and appreciation for the Crail Ranch and to preserve and maintain it as a heritage property and educational resource of the Big Sky community, Gallatin County, the State of Montana, and the American West.
Historic Crail Ranch is operated and administered by the Big Sky Community Corporation, a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization which exists to promote, acquire, preserve, and maintain land, parks, trails, and easements for the use of the people of the Big Sky Community and general public.